


hairy caterpillars and hot cheetos

by Soapbubblesoul



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Attempt at Humor, Drinking, Drunkenness, Exchange Student, First Meetings, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Mentions of Chansoo, Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 03:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14071773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soapbubblesoul/pseuds/Soapbubblesoul
Summary: The very night Yifan first met Yixing, he already got to find out about the wondrous things Yixing's drunken mind could conjure up.





	hairy caterpillars and hot cheetos

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #128: Yixing doesn't handle alcohol well, everyone knows, but Yifan is new to their circle of friends so when he realizes he should have stopped Yixing, it's already too late.

Yifan wasn’t exactly the most avid party-goer, had never been. But, being new to Seoul, going to parties was inarguably one of the easiest ways to meet people and make friends. Nonetheless Yifan was reluctant to agree when Jongdae invited him over to his dorm, where the common room would be filled with music, snacks and alcohol for what would be a "legendary night", as Jongdae claimed. Yifan was rather certain that Jongdae had gotten that phrase from one of the American sitcoms he loved to watch, but Yifan couldn't pinpoint it. 

It took Chanyeol joining in on the conversation, whining that Yifan had to be there and promising that he would keep Yifan company for Yifan to eventually give in. Both Chanyeol and Jongdae high-fived when Yifan agreed to coming, and even though they promised him that it would be fun, Yifan remained doubtful.

He didn't need a huge circle of friends. As long as he had a handful of people he trusted and was close with, he was perfectly fine. Yet he couldn't deny that he had been feeling a bit lonely in the foreign city, surrounded by a language he understood but struggled with speaking at times. The only Chinese speaker he had managed to bond with was a classmate of his, Lu Han, and even though Lu Han kept promising introduce Yifan to Chinese friends of his, he hadn't followed through with that yet. So Yifan decided that perhaps it was time to take matters into his own hands.

He was, however, not really the type to just join a random group of strangers and burst into their conversation, and he most definitely wasn't the type to hit the dance floor. When put on a basketball court his body moved with grace and fluidity, but being on dance floors usually just ended in flailing limbs and awkwardness for him, and he wasn't anywhere near drunk enough for that yet when he and Chanyeol arrived at the party. So, the couches it was. 

They were a bit off to the side, a perfect retreat for actually being able to talk without having to scream their lungs out. Chanyeol, who kept his promise to stay by Yifan’s side, indulged him in conversation for a while as they let their eyes stray over the thrum of bodies moving to the beat of the booming music. 

Yifan did have to admit, the common area of Jongdae's dorm really did lend itself for parties. The mere size of it paired with the quality of the speakers and the lighting made Yifan almost feel as if he was in a club.

They were nursing their drinks in peace when Chanyeol suddenly sat up straighter, one of the dancing bodies having caught his attention.

"Hey, Yixing! Over here!" 

The guy in question looked around disoriented as he tried to localise the source of the voice that had called him, but once his gaze fell onto Chanyeol, his features brightened in recognition. When Chanyeol waved him over, he deserted his spot on the dance floor, to plop down on the couch next to Yifan instead. 

"Yixing, meet Yifan," Chanyeol introduced them, but Yifan barely listened because he was too busy staring.

Yixing wore the most charming smile, and Yifan felt a bit as if he had swallowed his own tongue as Yixing gently clinked his cup with Yifan's as means of greeting.

"Yixing is Chinese as well!" Chanyeol exclaimed proudly, and that actually made Yifan perk up.

Yifan's Korean was good, or he wouldn't be studying in Seoul, but there still was something incredibly soothing for his mind about being able to communicate in Chinese. It meant he had to think a little less, and relax a little more.

Conversation with Yixing flowed well, incredibly so, considering that usually it took Yifan a while to warm up to new people. But Yixing was easy to get along with, and  _ very  _ captivating. 

Yifan didn’t even mind that when Chanyeol received a text from his boyfriend, who had unexpectedly gotten the night off from work, he pretty much jumped up to grab his coat immediately. He might have promised to keep Yifan company all night, but Yifan would have felt bad either way for keeping Chanyeol away from Kyungsoo. Their schedules had been so conflicting for the last few weeks that they had barely gotten to spend time together, so Yifan perfectly understood why Chanyeol wouldn’t hesitate a second to leave. Also, Yifan had new company—very pleasant company, at that. In fact, he barely even noticed Chanyeol’s absence, he was too wrapped up in his conversation with Yixing. 

At some point, Yifan started wondering if Chanyeol had really only invited the smaller man over because he shared the same nationality as Yifan, or whether Chanyeol was aware that Yixing was exactly Yifan's type: Charming, smart and passionate about topics that were close to his heart. On top of that, Yixing was drop-dead gorgeous. The hint of kohl emphasising his eyes and the dimple that dug into his cheek whenever he smiled almost made Yifan lose his cool.

Given that Yixing did have an interest in men, Yifan could definitely see himself asking Yixing out sometime in the future. However for now, Yifan intended to take it slow. He wasn’t one to rush into things, so he didn't want to make any moves right away. His plan for the night was to just sit and chat with Yixing while enjoying his company, perhaps test the waters a little. What he hadn't factored in, however, was the unknown of Yixing's abysmal alcohol threshold.

"Your eyebrows are impressive, you know?" 

There was a rather prominent slur in Yixing's words, attesting to the other's rather evident state of inebriation. It made Yifan wonder how Yixing could be so smashed after only two cups of beer, when Yifan had had at least four and was barely feeling tipsy. The train of thought was interrupted when Yixing leant closer, with no regard for Yifan's personal space as he stabilised himself with one hand on Yifan's legs and his face only centimeters away from Yifan's. "They look like two hairy caterpillars."

"They what?" Yifan asked, unsure whether he had understood Yixing correctly.

"They look like two hairy caterpillars." Yixing repeated, and tilted his head to the side as if the new angle would reveal some more information about Yifan’s eyebrows. "Did someone just glue them above your eyes?"

Yifan didn't really how to reply, but figured it must have been just a rhetoric question when Yixing didn't even look at him, his gaze staying fixated on Yifan's eyebrows. He leaned back a little to bring enough space between them that he could look at the other without having to squint. Also because the proximity was starting to get to him. Yixing, however, was entirely unbothered since all his attention was on Yifan’s eyebrows.

"Hello little friends, is the big guy treating you well?"

Over the years, Yifan had been witness to a lot of drunken mumbling, and very little of it had ever made sense. A drunken mind was a very funny place. It managed to conjure up logical connections where a sober one would have seen nothing but disjointed pieces. Yifan had enough experience with that himself, and it wasn't as if he had stayed away from drinking himself that night. But he was tipsy, at best, and nowhere near Yixing's level. And this definitely was the first time anyone had ever started talking to his eyebrows. 

He expected Yixing to either burst into drunk giggling, to answer his own question or to immediately talk about some entirely different topic, but Yixing remained dead serious as he waited for Yifan’s eyebrows to reply. 

"Ummm." Yifan wasn't exactly sure if it was his place to answer in his eyebrows' stead, but Yixing didn’t shush him, so he took that as a sign to continue. "My eyebrows are just natural eyebrows. There's really nothing special about them."

For a few seconds, Yixing stared at him, slack-jawed and with wide eyes. Then he gasped. He looked about as scandalised as if he was a child Yifan had just told that both the Easter Bunny  _ and _ Santa Claus also didn't exist. There was something strangely hilarious about how Yixing was gaping at him in shock, all because Yifan had claimed that his eyebrows were nothing special.

"Your eyebrows are  _ impressive, _ " Yixing repeated with indignation, before going thoughtful. "Can I touch them?"

The question caught Yifan off-guard, because he had never been asked anything of the like before, but he was so dumbfounded that he simply agreed.

As Yixing was tracing the shape of Yifan's eyebrows with his fingers, he let out small sounds of wonder and admiration. It vaguely reminded Yifan of people watching fireworks, just that Yixing displayed even more interest. Truly, Yifan couldn't entirely rule out that he was dreaming, the situation was just too surreal. At the same time, it was fascinating to watch Yixing's fascination with his eyebrows. It was endearing in ways Yifan couldn't even fully fathom.

"They’re so soft," Yixing whispered, and Yifan almost choked as he tried to stifle a laugh. 

Yixing had leaned in again while inspecting Yifan’s eyebrows, and by now he was so close that Yifan had to go crosseyed to properly look at Yixing. One of Yixing’s hands was still braced on Yifan’s thigh to balance himself, and while the action was entirely innocent on Yixing’s behalf, Yifan couldn’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t be better for Yixing to place his hand somewhere… more innocuous. Yifan did have a rather good grip on his sex drive, but being tipsy always left him a bit hornier than usual. And Yifan really didn’t want to get into a  _ situation  _ that required him to lock himself in the bathroom to get rid of it. After all Yixing was off-limits for the night, considering his state of inebriation.

"Does it tickle?" 

Yifan’s mind was still so caught in its train of thought that he was momentarily convinced the statement was referring to Yixing’s hand on Yifan’s thigh, and he was ready to react scandalised when Yixing corrected himself. "I mean, are they ticklish?"

Oh right, he was still convinced Yifan’s eyebrows were essentially living, sentient beings.

"No, no they’re not ticklish," Yifan dutifully replied and Yixing hummed in understanding.

Just as Yifan was about to address the hand-on-thigh-issue, the seat next to him dipped as someone plopped down onto the sofa unceremoniously.

"You’ve met Yixing!" Jongdae exclaimed excitedly, throwing one arm around Yifan’s shoulders while the other one held his drink impressively steady throughout the movement.

Yixing took a moment to register their new company, but then his eyes lit up and he grinned widely. "Jongdae!"

"Hey buddy," Jongdae greeted Yixing before turning back to Yifan, "It was about time you two met!"

Yifan opened his mouth to reply, but Yixing beat him to it. He leant forward so he could look at Jongdae better, then he pointed at Yifan and said, "Have you seen his eyebrows? They’re  _ incredible _ ."

Jongdae burst into laughter, loud and boisterous, and Yifan couldn’t help but think that yes, that probably was the most accurate reaction to Yixing’s fascination with his eyebrows. "Do you happen to be jealous, my dear Xingie?"

Yixing looked back at Jongdae as if his question was the most ridiculous thing he had ever been asked. "Of course I am! Can you imagine how powerful I’d be, with those eyebrows?"

"Naturally. None of us would stand a chance," Jongdae agreed, as if that was the only natural response.

Yifan simply gaped at both of them, and felt as if there was another layer of reality he had no access to. He definitely hadn’t had nearly enough drinks to be anywhere near his friends’ level.

"I want hot cheetos," Yixing stated then, out of the blue.

Jongdae's only reaction to the abrupt change in topic was to hum and nod his head in agreement, simply accepting that the conversation had shifted from acquiring world domination through eyebrows to what were evidently drunk cravings. "There might be some in the kitchen? I'm sure I bought a bag or two."

"You're the best!" Yixing exclaimed excitedly, and since their position didn’t really allow for him to hug Jongdae, he simply patted his thigh to express his appreciation.

Before Yifan could even fully process what was going on, Yixing had already jumped up, and he had gabbed Yifan's sleeve to drag him up as well. Yifan reluctantly gave in and followed Yixing’s lead, afraid that Yixing might lose his balance in his drunken state and simply fall on Yifan's lap if he remained seated. That would just have ended in an embarrassing situation that Yifan really could do without, especially with Jongdae there to watch and most likely remind him of it for the next three years, at least.

"Come with me." It wasn't even a request, Yixing downright demanded that Yifan was to come with him, so he also didn’t wait for Yifan to reply before pulling him right into the throng of dancing people.

From the direction of the couch, Yifan could hear Jongdae's laughter, followed by a shouted "Make sure he doesn't hurt himself!", then he and Yixing were swallowed by the mass of moving bodies.

Yifan hadn't realised just how far away from the speakers his little refuge at the side of the room had been, but he was reminded immediately when they crossed the dance floor. The barely distinguishable melody was so loud that communication was only possible through body language or loud shouting, and Yifan could swear he felt the throbbing bass vibrate in his ribcage. Around them, people in varying states of intoxication were moving to the beat, but Yixing, who had grabbed Yifan's wrist so they wouldn't lose each other, led them straight through the crowd.

He only let go of Yifan once they had reached the kitchen area, which was fairly deserted in comparison to the common room. Most of the partygoers were way more interested in the drinks than the snacks, so no one stood in Yixing’s way as he made a beeline for the counter where several bowls and plates had been set up. Yifan, who needed a short moment to recover from the unexpected physical contact of Yixing holding his wrist, joined Yixing a few seconds later, only to discover that there was cause for great distress for Yixing.

There were no hot cheetos anymore, only a thin dusty layer of their angry orange powder left on the ground of the bowl.

"I want hot cheetos." Yixing looked as if his world had just ended.

"There are cheese flips? It‘s pretty much the same thing?" Yifan shrugged, hoping Yixing was drunk enough to blindly accept Yifan‘s words as the truth.

Sadly, he wasn‘t that lucky.

„The  _ same thing _ ? Have you ever  _ had _ hot cheetos?" Yixing looked at him as if his very worldview had been ridiculed, must like when Yifan had stated that he had normal eyebrows.

"We can cover the cheese flips in chili powder?" Yifan suggested, but even as he said it he already knew that Yixing was unlikely to agree just that easily.

And, true to form, Yixing looked at him as if he had just declared that elephants were hot pink and lived in trees. And that Yifan had set out to hunt and kill them all. It was that kind of mixture of disbelief, heartbreak and betrayal.

"I want hot cheetos," Yixing said, managing to sound both offended and whiny.

Then he jutted out his lower lip in a pout, and Yifan knew he had lost the battle. With a heavy sigh, he raked a hand through his hair. There wasn't really any way to procure hot cheetos that Yifan could think of. He knew that international snack stores in Sinchon and Itaewon were selling them, but even if they hadn’t been way too far away, they'd be closed at this time of the night either way. Yixing, on the other hand, seemed to be a lot more optimistic. He grabbed Yifan's wrist again, and declared that they were going to buy some hot cheetos as he dragged Yifan out of the kitchen. Since Yifan had no idea what exactly Yixing was planning, his only option was to follow.

As it turned out, Yixing's intended destination was the convenience store right across the street. Yifan wasn't exactly hopeful that they'd be successful in their search for hot cheetos there, but he still trailed along. After all, had to make sure that Yixing didn't do anything stupid.

Just as Yifan had expected, the convenience store was only selling normal cheetos, not their hot variation. Perhaps they at least would be a better foundation for modification than the cheese flips had been, but Yixing barely even paid attention to them. He was much more interested in the honey butter chips, and a bar of Kinder Bueno, his craving for hot cheetos completely forgotten. One of the advantages of Yixing's intoxicated state, Yifan reasoned as he watched Yixing pay for his snack haul. 

Yixing didn't even wait until they were back at the party, ripping the bag open as soon as they were out of the store. Full of childish excitement, Yixing dug out a handful of chips and stuffed them into his mouth. Nothing about that should have looked endearing to Yifan, but it did, and he seriously wondered if he himself hadn't had a drink too much after all. His heart was doing weird things in his chest as he watched Yixing sigh in delight, and Yifan forced himself to focus on the street instead of Yixing in an attempt to get himself back under control.

When they returned to the party, the bag was already empty, and the Kinder Bueno had been devoured on the way up the stairs, too. Yifan was in awe at how Yixing had managed to wolf down his entire purchase on the few metres from the convenience store back to Jongdae’s dorm, and despite the wild mix, he wasn't showing any signs of feeling sick. 

There was a noticeable stumble in Yixing's step, but when Yifan reached to steady him, he almost ran into Yixing because the other stopped abruptly. When Yixing spun around to face Yifan, his eyes alight with enthusiasm, Yifan knew to be wary of what was to come.

"Oh, oh, oh." Yixing chanted, basically bouncing up and down with excitement, "We can go swimming! Let's go swimming!"

Among all the things Yifan had expected to hear, this decidedly hadn't made it onto the list of top contenders. Then again, he already knew he couldn't keep up with Yixing's drunken mind. Sure, it was late summer, the weather outside balmy even now at past midnight, but there was absolutely nothing in their surroundings that could have triggered the idea of swimming. Yixing, however, was positively thrilled with his idea.

"I don't think this dorm has a swimming pool, Yixing" Yifan deadpanned, before adding on second thought, "I also doubt you have swimming trunks with you. I certainly don't."

Yixing tilted his head to the side for a second as if in consideration of Yifan's objections, but then he dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "We can just sneak into the campus' pool! And you don't really need swimming trunks for swimming, Yifan."

It took Yifan a teeny tiny moment to understand just exactly what Yixing was implying by that, but when he did, he blushed scarlet. If Yixing noticed, he didn't comment on it or let it show, however, something Yifan was remotely grateful for that. He  _ really  _ didn't need to imagine what it would be like to go skinny dipping with Yixing, the only thing hiding Yixing's naked shape being the translucent water... 

Yifan shook his head to disperse the image of the moonlight playing over Yixing's collarbones, over his faintly defined abs, casting shadows over his v-line—Yifan was so close to slapping himself to stop his mind from going any further. No matter how hot the blood in his veins should boil, he wasn't going to let himself find out tonight what was beneath Yixing’s clothes.

"You can't break into the university's swimming pool just like that, Yixing. If we get caught, we'll be in so much trouble." Yifan reasoned, hoping to close the topic, and he refrained himself from adding, " _ especially if we're naked." _

"Come on, live a little!" 

Somehow Yixing managed to make it sound as if breaking into the university's swimming pool to go skinny dipping was the ultimate achievement in life, something that belonged on everyone's bucket list and Yifan would regret it for the rest of his days if he didn't do it. But Yifan knew better. He was a bit tipsy himself, but next to Yixing, he might as well have been dead sober.

There was some more whining from Yixing, he called Yifan a spoilsport and even tried puppy eyes on him, but Yifan didn't budge. Eventually Yixing gave up on his plan since he—thankfully—didn’t want to go alone. Instead he dragged Yifan to the kitchen area, mumbling something about how they were going to exchange all the salt for sugar, all the sugar for salt, and replace the filling of all the Oreo cookies with toothpaste.

In comparison to trespassing and indecent behaviour, pulling food pranks was decidedly harmless, so Yifan didn’t even resist getting pulled along. After all he still had to make sure Yixing didn't accidentally stab himself with a spoon or something when scrapping the filling from the Oreos.

While Yifan was squeezing small heaps of toothpaste onto the black cookies—Yixing had insisted Yifan had to participate, so they would be partners in crime and Yifan couldn't rat him out—Yifan counted his blessings that Yixing was a silly drunk, and not a horny one. He really didn't know how he would have dealt with Yixing wanting to make out with him because Yifan was sure that if Yixing had made advanced to him, he would have had a hard time resisting. But frankly, Yixing couldn't have been less interested in making out with Yifan, he was way too busy with his Oreo project.

Usually Yifan never pulled pranks, but as he was watching Yixing snicker to himself in satisfaction, he suddenly could see the appeal. Or perhaps he was just mesmerised by Yixing's childish glee. There was something weirdly innocent about Yixing's mischief, and while Yifan couldn't quite place his finger on why that made him feel kinda fuzzy inside, he couldn't hide the smile that crept onto his lips. 

Yixing was just too cute.   
  


⏭   
  


Yifan had pretty much lost all track of the hours by the time he spotted Lu Han in the crowd. 

Out of all the people he’d met since moving to Seoul, Lu Han was perhaps the one he was closest with. The common mothertongue alone already gave Yifan a sense of connection to the other, and they got along well on top of that. Lu Han also had been the one who had introduced Yifan to most of his other friends. Yifan had learnt quickly not to judge Lu Han by his appearance, however. Lu Han looked sweet and innocent, when he was anything but. Not to say he wasn’t a great person who Yifan enjoyed spending time with, but Lu Han was cunning, and  _ definitely  _ not innocent.

Yifan vaguely remembered seeing Lu Han disappear down the hallway with a guy earlier that night, but either they hadn’t even left the building to get it on, or Lu Han simply had decided to return to the dorm because he hadn’t had his fill of nightlife fun yet. 

Or perhaps there was a different reason all together, since Lu Han kept scanning the crowd with intent, as if he was looking for someone in particular and not just checking the attractiveness level of the people present. When his gaze eventually landed on Yifan, his mouth opened in surprise; then, for some reason, he laughed.

Yifan was too far away to actually hear more than a faint whisper of the sound, but he could read it from Lu Han’s face. A diffuse fear that Yixing had somehow managed to scribble on him settled in the pit of Yifan's stomach and he wished he had a mirror to check. It was unlikely, since surely he should have noticed if Yixing had drawn something on his face, but perhaps Yixing had taken advantage of one of the many times when Yifan had been distracted. With everything else Yixing had gotten up to that night so far, Yifan wouldn’t put it past him.

A while ago, Yifan had already tried to convince Yixing that he should probably get home, and that Yifan could get one of Yixing’s friends, but Yixing had whined that he didn’t want to leave yet. He had clung to Yifan’s arm, refusing to let go, until Yifan gave up on trying to get Yixing to go home. By now, Yifan had at least managed to get Yixing to settle down on the couch again. And honestly, he surprisingly didn’t even mind his current situation all that much. It was pretty cute, how Yixing had dozed off while leaning on his shoulder. 

"There you are!" Lu Han exclaimed in lieu of a greeting when he came to a halt in front of them.

"Here I am?" Yifan confirmed, unsure as to why Lu Han would have been looking for him.

"Not you," Lu Han brushed him off, "Yixing."

The man in question only muttered something incoherent, and Yifan wasn’t even sure if it was actually meant to be a reply to Lu Han’s presence. It was more likely that Yixing was just talking in his sleep.

"Yixing?" Yifan asked, to prompt Lu Han to explain why he would have been looking for Yixing.

"Yes, Yixing. The guy sleeping on your shoulder. You didn’t even bother to find out his name? Come on, Yifan, where are your manners. Aren’t Canadians supposed to be super polite?"

"Of course I know his name!" Yifan huffed, trying to defend his honour but also ignoring the second part of Lu Han's statement. "I just didn’t know  _ you _ know him."

"Yixing’s my friend? The one I told you about a million times already? Do you ever listen to me when I talk?" Lu Han fixed him with a look of mock hurt, then he sank down on the couch next to Yifan with a weary sigh, as if Yifan’s ignorance had robbed him of all his energy. "Perhaps I should reconsider my plans of setting you up with him, if you have so little interest that you don’t even bother remembering his name."

Contrary to Lu Han’s lamenting about always being ignored when he was just trying to do something good for his friends, Yifan  _ did _ remember. Lu Han had been talking about a friend who would be just  _ perfect _ for Yifan, Yifan just couldn‘t recall Lu Han ever mentioning their name. He hadn't even been sure whether Lu Han had been talking about a male or female friend, so he really hadn‘t been able to picture anyone.

"I do remember!" Yifan interrupted Lu Han when he was just about to launch into a new arch of telling Yifan how he didn't deserve Lu Han's charity. "I remember just fine. You simply never told me his name, okay."

"I didn't?" Lu Han looked genuinely confused.

"No, you definitely didn't. I would have remembered a name if you had mentioned one."

"Oh." 

Lu Han leant back into the couch cushion and took a swig of his cup, his eyes unfocused even as he was facing the centre of the room. He almost looked as if he was seriously doubting his own sanity, but just when Yifan was about to break him out from wherever his thoughts had lead him, Lu Han simply shrugged and brushed the matter off with a casual "How weird, I was sure I had mentioned his name." 

Yifan didn't really know what to reply to that so he made a vague humming noise that could pass as all kinds of answer. A companionable silence settled between them, both of them nursing their drinks while Yixing kept napping on Yifan‘s shoulder without a care in the world. He was mumbling something in his sleep, but even as Yifan tilted his head slightly to the side, he couldn't make out any words. It certainly would have been interesting to figure out what went on inside Yixing's sleepy-drunk mind, considering the wonders his awake-drunk mind already held.

"So, what do you think?" 

"Huh?" Yifan had been so caught up in studying Yixing that Lu Han's voice startled him for a second, and even when he processed the question he'd been asked, he wasn‘t sure what Lu Han was referring to. "Think about what?"

"About Yixing, of course," Lu Han looked at him as if he was being deliberately dense and Yifan couldn't even blame him for it. In retrospect, it was pretty obvious. "What do you think about Yixing? Now that you've met him."

Usually Yifan managed to keep his cool just fine when talking about people he had an interest in. So really, it could only be the fault of the alcohol that his cheeks were flaming up all of a sudden while his tongue refuses to unstick itself from the roof of his mouth. It took him a bit to collect his scattered thoughts, but when he finally attempted a reply, his words came out stuttering. Hoping to save some of his image at least, Yifan simply shut his mouth and cleared his throat, as if that would help the words flow smoother.

He tried for a casual response again, but his "He's nice." came out way too rushed and way too high pitched to be inconspicuous. Lu Han was just grinning at him knowingly. Yifan really hadn't done a good job of glossing over the teeny-tiny crush he might have developed on Yixing these past few hours.

"You know, he likes you too."

"Come again?" Yifan asked incredulously, because surely Lu Han was just teasing him.

"Perhaps you should aim to make him cum once for starters, but if you want to set yourself higher goals, be my guest."

"Lu Han!" Yifan exclaimed, and he hoped the dim lighting of the room was hiding how his blush was too bright to be blamed entirely on the alcohol. 

Lu Han simply patted Yifan's thigh. "Don't worry about your stamina, buddy, you'll be fine. Yixing can pick up your slack if need be."

" _ Lu Han _ !" 

Yifan could see Lu Han fighting to stay serious, but he quickly lost the battle and burst into laughter at Yifan's scandalised expression. 

"You're too easy to mess with," Lu Han declared, making a show of wiping a non-existent tear from his eye to emphasise how well Yifan had entertained him, before turning serious again. "But really, ask him out. He likes you."

Yifan contemplated not replying in a show of being offended by Lu Han laughing at him, but the desire to argue back won out. "He doesn't even know me." 

"He's sleeping on your shoulder, Yifan. He wouldn't do that if he didn't like you," Lu Han reiterated with a conviction Yifan couldn't quite comprehend.

"I don't think he even fully realises I'm me and not Chanyeol. And frankly, with how smashed he is right now, he would 'like' anyone who is capable of sitting still enough for him to nap on them. It's not about me." 

"Yifan, you don't get it. When we're out together and he's drunk, and tired, Yixing will always come find me. Either to whine at me until I entertain him or to take him home. The fact that he  _ didn't  _ come find me when he got drowsy is saying a lot. He must be quite comfortable with you."

Yifan hated to admit it, but when Lu Han put it like that, his statement about Yixing liking him seemed a lot more realistic. And it wasn't that Yifan was against the idea of Yixing liking him—quite the opposite, to be honest. But if Yixing liked him, Yifan  _ actually _ had to make a move on him, and despite his reputation of being a playboy, he hadn't approached anyone in a while. So Yifan was worried things were going to be awkward. 

"You don't know what you're talking about, you're drunk," Yifan weakly argued back, though with much less conviction than before.  

"I might be," Lu Han conceded, and lifted his near-empty cup to make a point, "But I'm still coherent." And Lu Han must have misinterpreted Yifan's attempts at denial as him not wanting to get involved with Yixing because he added, "I know he can't hold his liquor but he's a good guy. You should give him a chance." 

"Lu Han, he's literally only sleeping on my shoulder because he's had one too many, it's not like he has proposed to me or anything!" Yifan swore Lu Han was being over dramatic, but perhaps that could be blamed on the alcohol.

Lu Han simply shrugged, as if Yifan was a lost cause. "Suit yourself. Just keep my words in mind."

With a wink, and a pat to Yifan's thigh, he stood up. 

"Anyway, I think it goes without saying but I trust you to be a gentleman and take care of Yixing tonight!" he declared, then he disappeared into the crowd.

"Hey," Yifan exclaimed, his ears burning at the decidedly sexual implications of the statement.

He tried to grab Lu Han's sleeve to stop him, but he was too slow. Letting out a deep sigh, Yifan cursed that Lu Han had disappeared before Yifan could ask him what to do with Yixing. And not in the long-term "Should I really go out with him?" sense, but the more pressing, immediate "Yixing is shit-faced drunk and sleeping on my arm, I have no idea where he lives and you said you always get him home" sense. 

It had grown late, and while the party didn't really show any signs of coming to an end yet, the number of party-goers definitely had dwindled. Yifan himself was starting to get tired as well. The only issue was that he first had to figure out how to deal with Yixing before he could go home. Scanning the crowd didn't turn up any familiar faces, however. He could find neither Jongdae nor Lu Han or any other member of their friend group. So Yifan really only had one choice.

"Hey, Yixing," he whispered, softly shaking Yixing in an attempt to wake him up gently.

At first, Yixing just whined, but eventually he lifted himself off Yifan's shoulder. He rubbed his eyes, smudging some of the kohl he had put on—or that had been put on him by Lu Han, now that Yifan knew they were friends he couldn't be sure because that would fit Lu Han. Then he blinked up at Yifan sleepily. "Hm?"

"Sorry for waking you, but it's time to go home."

"Home?" Yixing repeated, clearly still half asleep.

"Yes, home," Yifan confirmed, and didn't even bother to bite back the smile tugging at his lips. Yixing looked adorable like this, sleepy and with his hair all mussed up where it had been pressed against Yifan's shoulder. "Where do you live? I'm gonna bring you home."

There was no way Yifan could let Yixing get home by himself, he didn't even trust Yixing to find his way to the bathroom on his own. Even without Lu Han's request to take care of Yixing, Yifan would have felt responsible for Yixing's safety. Yixing, however, wasn't exactly being cooperative.

"Don't wanna go home," he whined, and hugged Yifan's arm to his chest tightly with no apparent intention of letting go. 

"It's late, and you're tired," Yifan argued, hoping that with using a gentle tone he'd manage to coax Yixing into agreeing with him.

Yixing, however, had different plans. Instead of giving in, he just kept pouting, complaining that he didn't want to go home because he wanted to stay with Yifan.

_ He doesn't know what he's saying _ , Yifan told himself in an attempt to fight down the blush that rose to his cheeks in response to Yixing's bluntness. He wasn't very successful in suppressing it though.  _ He's drunk, don't think too much of it _ .

Yifan was sure half an hour went by while he tried to convince Yixing that he should let Yifan take him home. At one point, Yifan switched to a different tactic, trying to elicit Yixing's address from him in a seemingly innocuous way, but Yixing didn't let himself be fooled. Despite how drunk he was, he saw right through Yifan's, admittedly rather weak, attempt of "I'm looking for a new place to move to. Where do you live? Is it a nice area?"

In the end, Yifan really didn't have a choice.  
  


⏭

  
"So sorry,'m so sorry," Yixing kept repeating, his voice laced with regret and a hint of tears. Even if Yifan would have wanted to be mad, there was no way he could have been when Yixing looked as if he was about to cry any second.

"Really, Yixing, don't sweat it! I mean, you waited with throwing up until we were out of the taxi. So you actually did well," Yifan reassured Yixing with a gentle smile, hoping to alleviate some of Yixing's embarrassment.

And he wasn't even lying. He was indeed happy that Yixing had managed to keep his stomach under control until they had gotten out of the taxi. He really wasn't keen on having to argue with and appease an angry taxi driver. Dealing with these kind of situation had never been his forte. So Yifan really didn't see why Yixing would have to apologise for emptying the contents of his stomach in the bushes near Yifan's place.

Yifan had just pulled his apartment door close behind him, when Yixing suddenly started gesturing wildly and Yifan only barely managed to rush him into his bathroom in time. As he sat with Yixing, and stroked along his back comfortingly, Yifan wondered if Yixing hadn't actually apologised for having thrown up outside but for being in such an inebriated state. Not that Yifan would have held that against him. After all he was partly responsible for it as well. He should have stopped Yixing earlier from drinking, although a voice in his head argued that he hadn't known of Yixing's abysmal alcohol tolerance. 

Yixing was trembling slightly beneath his touch, and Yifan felt bad for him. Being drunk to the point of having to throw up sucked. He knew that all too well himself, and so he wouldn't hear of Yixing apologising again and again for burdening Yifan. Instead Yifan uttered soothing words, and handed Yixing a glass of water to rinse his mouth when his stomach finally had calmed down. Yifan helped Yixing up so he could clean his face, and then led him back into the main room of his apartment, which tripled as bed room, living room and study. 

His apartment was rather small, but Yifan hadn't wanted to live in the dorm. He preferred the privacy and flexibility that came with an having his own place, and so he had rented one that was still reasonably close to the university, even if it meant that some parts were a little cramped, perhaps. But at least it was his space.

As he flicked on the light, Yifan had half the mind to apologise for the mess. He hadn't planned to bring anyone home, so he hadn't tidied up before leaving for the party. All the clothes strewn across the floor and the documents and receipts plastering his desk clearly attested to that. Yixing, however, didn't even bat an eyelash at the mess as he let himself be guided towards the bed. In fact, Yifan couldn't even be sure whether Yixing noticed his surroundings at all, because he kept repeating how he had to tell Lu Han where he was or Lu Han would worry.

"Lu Han knows you're with me, Yixing," Yifan tried to soothe him for the nth time, leaning down to come eye-to-eye level with Yixing who was sat on top of his covers by now. "In fact, he unloaded you on me, so you don't need to worry about him."

Yixing nodded, but Yifan knew better than to believe he actually had understood what Yifan had said. While Yixing had still been fairly with it at the party, his eyes now held the distinctly vacant look of someone who was too drunk to fully process any information.

Nonetheless Yifan had finally have managed to appease Yixing a little bit, because he stopped talking about Lu Han and instead settled back against the wall, his eyes blinking slowly in an evident show of exhaustion. Yixing looked about ready to drift off, but no matter how much Yifan wanted to just let Yixing sleep, he knew that Yixing wouldn't be happy the next morning if he did.

"Yixing?"

Yifan's soft call for attention was answered by a hum and a lazy smile, but Yixing didn't even open his eyes again to look at Yifan.

"Can I leave you alone for a few minutes? I'll run down to the convenience store to get you a toothbrush and some water. Is that okay with you?"

Another hum, and since Yifan was rather certain Yixing wasn't fully processing what he was told, asked again for confirmation three more times, to make sure. When he was answered in the affirmative, Yifan deemed it safe to leave Yixing unsupervised for a few minutes. He just hoped Yixing wasn't going to throw up again, but thankfully Yixing looked as if he was fine. Actually he seemed pretty comfortable on Yifan's bed, propped against the large throw pillows and Yifan swore he heard soft snoring wafting from his room when he left the apartment. Probably that was for the best, Yifan thought as he hurried down the staircase, taking two stairs at a time.

There had been many occasions already on which Yifan had been incredibly grateful for living right around the corner from a convenience store, and this night definitely was one of them. He knew it like the back of his hand, so he could head straight to the toothbrushes before grabbing two bottles of water and, on second thought, a pack of painkillers. Yixing was definitely going to need these tomorrow.

The worry about having left Yixing alone spurred him to move even faster than usual, and so it was not even ten minutes later when he was unlocking the door to his apartment again. However the vague sense of urgency only let off when he walked back into his room.

Yixing had indeed fallen asleep, and was now lying awkwardly on Yifan's bed since he had slumped to the side. It really couldn‘t have been a comfortable position, but Yixing was too far gone to care. So despite the fact that the position would definitely cause Yixing back pains in the morning, Yifan was reluctant to wake him up. Yixing looked strangely at peace, and Yifan really didn‘t want to be the one to disrupt that. But he knew he had to.

When he was jostled awake, Yixing whined, even though Yifan had taken care to be as gentle as possible.

„Hey, Yixing, I‘m back." Yifan kept his voice low, hoping to make it less jarring for Yixing to be woken up. „I got you a toothbrush."

Another string of inarticulate whines followed as Yixing tried to shake off Yifan‘s hold and burrow himself deeper into the blanket, but Yifan didn't give up that easily. He knew exactly how Yixing felt, he‘d been in his shoes before, so he also knew that he always hated himself the next morning if he gave in to the sweet temptation of sleep just like that.

„You threw up, Yixing, you really should brush your teeth," Yifan insisted, and he used his hold on Yixing‘s shoulders to make him sit upright again. „Come on, I‘ll help you."

Yixing pouted up at him, but no longer resisted. Instead he let himself be led to Yifan‘s tiny bathroom, and even though the sluggishness in his movements spoke of clear tiredness, he diligently brushed his own teeth. When Yifan handed Yixing one of the water bottles after he was done, he didn‘t even complain anymore. He simply nodded along to Yifan‘s „Drink this, it‘ll make you feel better in the morning." and then took a few long swigs. Yifan worried slightly that Yixing was actually too enthusiastic about drinking, and that it might upset his stomach again, but Yixing remained unfazed. 

When they had both gotten ready, Yifan found himself faced with having to figure out the sleeping arrangements. It wasn‘t the first time he had someone crash at his place, so he had an air mattress stashed away in his cupboard, but he felt too lazy to actually set it up. His waist had been giving him a hard time lately, so he reasoned that a night on the floor was in order either way.

Yixing, however, had a different plan.

„Sleep with me," he whined, holding onto Yifan's shirt with the clear intention of not letting go until he had succeeded in dragged Yifan into the bed with him.

Blood rushed to Yifan's cheeks at the bluntness of Yixing's rather indecent request, but he fought to school his features into an unaffected expression. Yifan had been so grateful when he had returned from the bathroom to find that Yixing had already slid under the covers. He had declined the offer of borrowing Yifan‘s pajamas with the argument that they would be way too big for him, and that he could just sleep in his boxers. Yifan had at least managed to talk him into wearing one of Yifan‘s shirts, so that Yixing’s chest would be covered up. It wasn‘t that Yifan doubted his self-control, but he really could do without having to deal with a boner when he was supposed to be sleeping on the floor right next to Yixing. So Yixing already being in bed, all covered up and seemingly ready to just sleep, had been a blessing for Yifan. But Yixing wasn't going to make it that easy for him.

„Come on, sleep with me. Please?" The sound of the plea was drawn out as Yixing tried his best shot at puppy eyes—which was a damn good shot, Yifan hated to admit. But he was resolute.

"Yixing, I will not sleep with you. You're drunk and need rest," Yifan declared, and he was only 80% sure he was speaking to Yixing and not his own libido.

"But the bed is big and cold and you look as if you're very cuddly," Yixing whined, clearly hoping that it would make Yifan take pity on him.

Only then did it dawned on Yifan that Yixing wasn't actually asking for sex, he was simply asking Yifan to share the bed with him. And technically, Yifan didn't mind sharing a bed with friends. Even though he was attracted to Yixing, he knew he had enough control over himself that uncaring of potential drunk advances from Yixing's side, nothing would happen. But—against Yixing's claims—his bed was tiny, and neither he nor Yixing would have a restful night if he let Yixing have his way.

"I will sleep on the floor. The bed is too small for both of us," Yifan reasoned, but Yixing was having none of that.

He emphasized his request—or rather, demand—with a pout that almost made Yifan give in. „But I want to sleep with  _ you _ ."

If the entire night had taught Yifan one thing, it was just how persistent Yixing could be. He didn‘t seem particularly good at accepting a no just like that. So with a sigh, Yifan raked his hand through his hair and decided to settle on a compromise.

"Okay, I will sleep with you."

Yixing's expression brightened, but Yifan raised a hand to stop his premature excitement.

"When you're not drunk anymore. Ask me again when you're sober and I'll sleep with you."

Yixing‘s face fell visibly, and it sent a sharp pang of regret through Yifan, because he really didn't want to be the person to cause Yixing to look so disappointed. „But I want you to sleep with me  _ now _ ."

Yifan was so tempted to just give in. It would save him the arguing, and he might manage to make Yixing happy. Anything just so Yixing wouldn't look at him like a kicked puppy anymore, even if it meant that neither of them would get any good sleep that night. It wouldn‘t be that bad, right? No, Yixing was drunk and Yifan had promised to take care of him. 

But also, Yixing _was_ _drunk_. It should be possible to somehow get him to agree to sleeping, if only Yifan played his cards right. Yixing might have been stubborn, but two could play this game.

„I will only sleep with you once you‘re sober."

When Yixing‘s pout didn‘t get him his way, he eventually gave in, contritely.

„I'll be sober again tomorrow. So when I ask you tomorrow, you will say yes? Promise?" 

„Yes, I promise," Yifan nodded.

There was no way Yixing was going to remember their conversation tomorrow morning either way. With how drunk he was, he might not even properly remember how he had gotten to Yifan‘s apartment in the first place, so Yifan didn‘t really have to worry about Yixing actually making him follow through with that promise. Luckily Yixing didn‘t seem to realise that. Instead he looked rather content at the deal they had struck.

But just when Yifan was about to wish Yixing a goodnight and go to turn off the lights, Yixing caught his sleeve again as if he had just remembered something important.

"Okay, then if you won't sleep with me, I at least want a goodnight kiss," he declared, and Yifan froze in the spot.

To say he was caught off-guard by the request would have been an understatement, because this time there was no way he could have misunderstood Yixing. Asking for a goodnight kiss left little room for interpretation, yet the way Yixing was looking at him with large, pleading eyes made it difficult for Yifan to think. Also, frankly, Yifan hadn't expected Yixing to still be mentally present enough to actually ask for a compensation for not getting his way. He seemed a lot more coherent than he had been just half an hour ago. Nonetheless, no matter how much Yifan might have wanted to kiss Yixing—and had wanted to kiss him for the last few hours, already—there was a tiny, little detail Yifan couldn't just overlook.

"Yixing, you threw up half an hour ago. I will not kiss you." He stated, before adding as an afterthought. "If you were my boyfriend, perhaps."

He wasn't even sure why he had said that, but he immediately wished he could take the words back. Perhaps he could blame them on his own tipsiness. There was no other possible explanation as for why he should have felt the need to add that. Except that, perhaps, some part of Yifan's subconsciousness had decided that it good way to flirt with Yixing. It wasn't, Yifan realised, when Yixing's instantaneous reaction was to wrinkle his nose in a clear show of disgust. "You'd kiss your boyfriend after he has thrown up? That's kinda gross."

"Hey, you were the one asking to be kissed after having thrown up! And don't give me that look, I'm simply a good boyfriend, okay," Yifan defended himself, slightly indignant at having his boyfriend-skills questioned.

"I bet you are a wonderful boyfriend." Yixing smiling so widely it put his dimple on full display and crinkled his eyes.

It could have come off as sarcastic, but Yixing sounded absolutely genuine in his assessment. In fact, Yixing looked downright excited at the idea of Yifan being a boyfriend. Yifan could only gape and blush, his mouth opening and closing as the words died on his tongue. 

He had mentally prepared phrases to either argue his point further, or to divert the topic altogether but he was left speechless now that Yixing had shifted from disgusted to excitement in a split second. Then again, Yixing still  _ was  _ pretty smashed, so perhaps Yifan should have expected him to jump from one mood to another so quickly. 

Just when Yifan had managed to gather his cool again, he realised that Yixing was still smiling so happily up at him. It made Yifan's brain short-circuit again. Yixing was too adorable, and he probably wasn't even aware that the things he said so innocently sent Yifan's heart stumbling. It made Yifan realise that he had to get Yixing to sleep as soon as possible, or Yifan would end up passing out because of all the blood that was rushing to his head. He was still trying to stumble his way through a response to Yixing's last statement, when suddenly an idea struck him.

"If you promise to sleep, I'll kiss you," Yifan conceded, feigning deep sigh as if he had given in to make Yixing take the bait.

"I promise to behave~" Yixing singsonged, sitting up to get closer to Yifan.

"And you'll sleep." Yifan needed Yixing to say it, so that there was no room for interpretation or else Yixing surely would find another loophole.

Yixing pouted at him as if he was hurt that Yifan didn't trust him enough, but repeated, "Yes, I'll sleep."

With Yixing's lower lip pushed out like that, it was really, really difficult for Yifan to remind himself of his intentions. Even the fact that Yixing had thrown up just a little earlier didn't seem that off-putting anymore. The thought had barely even crossed Yifan's mind when he was already shocked at himself. Sure, he had been aware that he was attracted to Yixing, but he hadn't realised it was to the degree were he was tempted to kiss him in this situation. 

"Close your eyes," he instructed, hoping it would make it easier to focus.

Yixing dutifully complied, to Yifan's surprise. It didn't make his plush lips any less tempting, but somehow it still helped Yifan think a little clearer. With a satisfied smile at how his plan was working out, Yifan closed the distance between them and let his lips brush against Yixing's forehead. The touch was soft, gentle, and brief, before Yifan pulled back.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Yixing complained immediately as he reopened his eyes, but he didn't even look mad.

Instead, he was giggling, and Yifan couldn't help but think that it was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard. His only objective had been to finally get Yixing to sleep, but now he felt as if he had achieved something even better than that.

"I only said I'd kiss you, I didn't specify where," Yifan defended, but even as he tried to be serious while making his point, he was unable to keep the smile off his face. "And you promised to sleep. You can't break your promise now."

Unexpectedly, Yixing didn't even fight back. Going by the yawn that Yixing didn't fully manage to stifle, it was a losing battle either way for Yixing to try and stay awake.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll sleep," Yixing conceded, and leant back down on the mattress.

He snuggled himself deeper into the bed, pulling the blanket close around him and burrowing his nose into the pillow. As soon as he was comfortable, he hummed in content. Yifan was sure Yixing was fast asleep already when he laid down himself after switching off the lights, but he still caught Yixing's sleepy mumbling. It was muffled by the fabric, but Yifan was rather certain he could make out the words"smell" and"nice".

He decided it was better for his sanity not to listen.   
  


⏭   
  


Yixing woke to a pounding headache, a sore throat and a queasy feeling in his stomach. He didn't really get drunk often, especially since his friends usually stopped him before he could even have a second cup of beer. Nonetheless he was acquainted enough with the sensation to place it as being hungover. 

Blindly he felt around the left side of his pillow for his phone as per habit. When his fingers only touched cold linen, however, a rush of panic shot through his veins. He immediately flung his eyes open but groaned in pain at the brightness, forcing him to shut them again. Just how many drinks had he had last night?

A few calming breaths later, Yixing dared giving it another shot. This time he was more careful, opening them slow enough to adjust to the light. When his surroundings finally swam into focus, Yixing blinked in confusion while he waited for the disorientation to disappear. Was it the residual alcohol in his veins that made him not recognise his own dorm room? Sure, he wasn't the most orderly person, but he was certain he had put all dirty clothes in the laundry bin two nights ago. 

For a second, he seriously considered the possibility that he had come home the previous night and had dug through his wardrobe in a desperate search for a specific clothing item, resulting in this chaos. It took another moment for his brain to wake up enough to realise that these weren't even his clothes though. Neither was that his desk, or his wardrobe, and, upon further consideration, the bed also smelled rather different from his own.

With a bitten back curse, Yixing sat up sharply. He simply ignored the wave of nausea that hit him at the sudden movement, as he was too busy trying not to freak out. He definitely wasn't in his own room, and he wasn't at Lu Han's place either. He could place neither the basketball jerseys on the floor, nor the smell that was surrounding him, so the chances of him being at one of this friends' place were rather slim.

_ Did I....? _

Yixing knew he got drunk easily, but he never went home with strangers. He would always cling to Lu Han until they left together, so waking up naked in someone else's bed with no recollection of how he had gotten there was not a situation Yixing was familiar with. Although thinking about it...

Yixing lifted the blanket. He had already felt fabric against his skin, but he still heaved a sigh of relief when he found that while his pants were missing, he was at least wearing boxers. And a shirt. Which, upon further inspection, wasn't his. It hung on his frame more akin to a nightgown than a shirt, and it prompted Yixing to wonder whether he was at Chanyeol's place- The shirt should have been his size, and Yixing knew that he had a flat off-campus. The memory of last night was rather fuzzy, but he  _ did  _ remember talking with Chanyeol. He did, however, also remember Chanyeol taking off to pick up his boyfriend, leaving Yixing alone with... Yifan.

Yixing's mouth fell open as it suddenly clicked. Yifan. Yifan was around as tall as Chanyeol. The last night was barely more than a hazy fog in his mind, but he still remembered Yifan's deep, soothing voice. And even though he had no recollection of having gone home with Yifan, it seemed like the most reasonable explanation.

Yixing was somewhat proud he still knew Yifan's name at least. Then again, Lu Han had talked Yifan up to Yixing so many times, that perhaps it wasn't such a great feat after all. Who would have thought Yixing would run into him by chance, when Lu Han hadn't managed to get Yixing to agree to a blind date yet? He just hoped he hadn't done anything so embarrassing that it had ruined all his chances with Yifan. If Yixing's memory wasn't completely off, Yifan was indeed very cute. Though might also have just been the booze skewing his perception.

Then Yixing remembered what had made him get up that abruptly in the first place. He spun around and relaxed when he found his phone lying on the nightstand, right next to a glass of water and a pack of painkillers. Yixing felt his stomach flutter with something different than nausea at the caring gesture, and Yixing's throbbing head was definitely grateful for Yifan's foresight. He downed two of the pills, and then set to searching his pants. He found them at the side of the bed, carelessly discarded, but aside from being a bit wrinkled up, they were in perfect shape.

He considered looking for his shirt as well, but the one he was wearing was oddly comfortable, so he decided there would be no harm in keeping it on for a little longer. Also having to look for his own shirt, and then change into it, sounded a bit too exhausting. In his hungover state, every single movement had to be carefully planned so he wouldn't exert too much energy. Yixing was just glad that his stomach seemed fairly calm. It wasn't difficult to guess from the soreness of his throat that he had thrown up the previous night, and he really didn't need any repeating of that.

Yixing was rather grateful that he had woken up alone in the room, as that had saved him from potentially awkward conversations while still half asleep. He wasn't the best conversationalist when disoriented, but when he deemed himself presentable, it was about time to go look for his host.  

Yixing hesitated for a tiny moment to brave himself for the unlikely but still possible case that Yifan wasn't the one he would find, then he pushed down the door handle. There was muted music coming from a closed door to the left of the tiny hallway, and Yixing could smell food. Tentatively, he knocked and waited until a deep voice responded with "Come in!"

When he opened the door, Yixing felt as if a bit of a weight had been lifted from his chest. Right there, sitting at a small table in the rather compact kitchen, was Yifan. It definitely hadn't just been his alcohol-clouded perception the previous night. Yifan  _ was  _ cute. Very cute.

"Good morning! You sensed that I just finished cooking breakfast, didn't you?" Yifan joked, and the gummy smile he flashed Yixing made Yixing's stomach do funny things that he couldn't fully blame on the alcohol. "I made tomatoes and eggs stir fry, but I also still have some dumplings in the fridge that I can warm up, if you prefer dumplings. Or if that's too much for your stomach, you can also just have some rice?"

Yifan was clearly rambling as he pointed out all the various options, but no matter how endearing Yixing found that, it left his head spinning slightly from all the information.

"I'll give the tomatoes and eggs a try, thank you." He smiled at Yifan, hoping to express his gratitude. "Where do you keep your bowls?"

"Oh no, just sit down, I'll get you everything ready." Yifan pointed Yixing towards the vacant chair opposite of him, and then got up to prepare Yixing's food.

"Do you want some coffee?"

Yixing hummed in affirmation. "With a little bit of sugar, please."

As he waited for his food, Yixing’s attention shifted to Yifan’s bowl. It was empty already, so "just finished cooking" probably had been a bit of a white lie to cover up the fact that Yifan had been waiting for Yixing to wake up.

"How are you? Did you find the painkillers?" Yifan asked, as he set down a bowl of food and a steaming cup of coffee in front of Yixing.

"Hungover, but fine," Yixing conceded. "And I did. Thanks for putting them out. And thank you for taking care of me."

"Ah, it was nothing," Yifan shrugged him off and took his seat again, "Don't sweat it."

"To be honest, I don't remember much from last night," Yixing confessed sheepishly, rubbing his neck with his left hand.

Yifan answered with a laugh. "Yeah, I kinda expected that. You  _ were  _ pretty gone."

The statement made all the stupid things he could have done while drunk play like a slideshow in front of Yixing’s inner eye. He just prayed that he hadn't actually embarrassed himself too much. A pained groan fought to escape Yixing, but he bit it back and instead settled on apologising again for having troubled Yifan.

Yifan was having none of it, however. He kept insisting that it was okay, that nothing super weird had happened. Yixing studied him with a sceptical expression when Yifan praised Yixing’s self-control for only throwing up after they had gotten out of the cab and before they entered Yifan's apartment, and then waiting until he had reached the bathroom.

After a while, companionable silence settled between them as Yixing ate his breakfast and Yifan kept sipping at his coffee. Aside from a little bit of small talk, Yifan let Yixing nurse his hangover in peace. Something Yixing was immensely grateful for since the painkillers hadn't quite kicked in yet. Yifan had even turned off the radio that had been playing before Yifan entered the kitchen.

The silence only was disrupted when Yixing's phone vibrated in his pocket. Expecting it to be Lu Han who messaged him about his his whereabouts, Yixing took it out to send a quick reply that he was alive and healthy. But there was no text message blinking up at him.

"I almost don't dare ask," Yixing started, and Yifan raised his gaze from where he had been scrolling through his own phone to signal that he was listening. "But why do I have a reminder in my phone that says 'get hairy caterpillar man to sleep with me'?"

Yifan choked on his coffee. 

 


End file.
